


Kim Mingyu vs. the World

by empireant



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Fantasy elements, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, Scott Pilgrim AU, fair warning, main characters start off as assholes, minor side ships that last a second
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 13:36:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13124829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/empireant/pseuds/empireant
Summary: Band practice is boring sometimes. Jeonghan won't share his wine. And if Mingyu wants to date the skateboarder with the colored hair, he must agree to defeat the League of Evil Exes.





	Kim Mingyu vs. the World

**Author's Note:**

> more "stress writing" that I've organized to be a full-fledged fic hahah why

"Mingyu."

"Seungcheol."

" _Mingyu."_

_"Seungcheol."_

"Kindly explain why there's  _another_ girl calling my cell, crying, and asking for you?"

Upon realizing he'd left his lucky pick at home, Mingyu shoves his hand behind Seungcheol's couch cushions, looking for a replacement. He sets his bass down with a sharp thump. "Did she say what her name was?"

"Sohye."

"Nice!" Triumphantly, Mingyu raises a bent pick in the air.

"Nice?"

"I found a pick!"

"Give up, Cheol." Jihoon swivels slowly on the stool behind his drum kit. "We all have."

Joshua, who's done tuning his guitar, gives a sympathetic smile. "Mingyu will learn on his own."

Mingyu huffs. "I'm right here, guys. And I have feelings—"

Jihoon snorts.

"—despite what you think." He scrutinizes the empty couch spot. "Where's Chan? Chan!"

"Here." Amp in his hands, Chan sets it down and courteously plugs in Joshua's electric guitar, with a thumbs up.

Satisfied, Seungcheol claps his hand together. "Okay, from the top. I'm singing  _Baksu."_

"And Mingyu?"

"Yeah?"

"Please stop giving your week-long flings my phone number."

_"One, two, three, four!"_

* * *

 

 

"This party blows." Mingyu whines, pouring his lukewarm beer down the sink just so he has something to look at.

Jihoon generously decides to indulge him. "Then why did you show up? Should've stayed at your place."

"Jeonghan has somebody over! They're probably doing it and I really don't want to see my roommate's dick."

When searching through Seungcheol's kitchen cabinets gets boring too, Mingyu figures he might as well dance or something. At least one of these people is bound to find him attractive. That's the game plan until somebody's torso moves in the  _exact_  angle to clear a space all the way to the farthest wall, where a lonely, but brightly colored haired boy gazes on listlessly.

Practically dragging Jihoon away from his happy little corner—many feet away from Mingyu—he urgently, and not-so-discreetly says into his ear, "Who's that?"

"Do I  _look_  like I know?"

"Do you  _have_ to be mean?"

Glaring is usually what their conversations end in these days. Mingyu could ask why, but he's pretty sure he knows why. Maybe? Could just be a personality thing. He's not going to think about it too much. 

"Seungcheol! Get over here!"  
  
With an acceptable excuse, their friend leaves a pretty girl's side to approach them. "What's up?"  
  
"Mingyu wants to know who that guy is." He points a dainty finger in the stranger's general direction. "Pink and blue hair."  
  
"Ah." Seungcheol smiles in recognition, to Mingyu's joy. "That's Xu Minghao. He just moved here."

Mingyu sighs dramatically. "Poor guy must need some company. All cute and alone in this big wide city..."

Neither Seungcheol nor Jihoon look moved by his altruism.

"Buddy, I appreciate it. Really." Mingyu claps his shoulder as he walks by, and shoots Jihoon with his finger guns.

At his departing back, Jihoon does have a slight smile, which grows when he sees Seungcheol mirrors it. "Oh, this ought to be good. Won't you stay for a bit Cheol?"

"Gladly." He responds, the pink of his gums making an appearance.

Barrelling through a group of intoxicated college students, Mingyu makes it to the other side, not caring that his small-minded friends are watching him.

So. Minghao is evidently fairly hot too. It's the whole cool vibe thing he's got going on. Most people try to look cool by acting like they don't care, but rather than super disinterested, Minghao seems content with drinking...fruit punch? It's fruit punch. Content with drinking fruit punch and staying on the sidelines for everyone's sad dancing.

This crowd is lucky Mingyu didn't plan on showing off his moves today.

He opens up with, "I like your hair." Their trusty tech guy, Chan, mentioned people like to be complimented on something other than their face or body as a first impression. Hair style is plenty removed!

"Thanks."

"Looks good enough to eat."

"I-what?"

_Fuck._

"Because it's pink and blue!" His voice becomes noticeably higher. "Like cotton candy?" Another pitch. "Or ice cream?"

"Right..."

"I'm not weird okay I was just—"

"You're trying to flirt with me."

"Well. Yeah?" What's he unsure for? "Yes, I am."

Minghao peels himself off the wall, crushing the empty red plastic cup in his hand. "You don't want to date me."

"Um."

An impressively successful toss lands the cup into a trash bag by the kitchen sink, where Jihoon looks like he might be smirking. Or Mingyu is just imagining that devilish expression on him. God, why is he in a band with  _demons._

Not sparing him another glance, Minghao walks out the front door. Skipping out on the tired party, and leaving Mingyu in the dust.

"Nice one, Mingyu." Jihoon does jab at him later.

"Why, oh, why, do I get the feeling that's not sincere?"

"Because it's not."

"Thanks. You suck."

"Welcome."

 

 

Between bitterly replaying his awkward fuck up with Minghao, helping Cheol clean the aftermath of his drunk guests in exchange for crashing over at his house—no way in hell he's going to back his place with Jeonghan—the sun does seem to peek over the clouds.

"Jihoon know where he works and wanted me to tell you."

"He knows where Minghao works?"

"Yeah. So I'm passing—"

"Why would he do that?"

"I think he felt bad."

"...Man, pity would blow if it weren't about to score me a hot date. Pity is wonderful!"

* * *

 

 That night, lulled by the peaceful quiet of the significantly roomy, and thankfully empty home of one Choi Seungcheol, Mingyu dreams of a boy.

"You're dreaming about me already? We've met  _once_." He's on a skateboard and standing over Mingyu, who's sitting cross legged on some yellow plane.

"Hey,  _Minghao,_ this is  _my_  dream, okay? And if I want to make out with you right now then that's what we're going to do."

"Alright, I was joking, but apparently you really  _did_  want to dream of me huh...interesting." Minghao shrugs. "Unfortunately for you pal I'm on my way back home. Peace!" 

"No fun touching? I'm seriously striking out twice today?"

"Guess so!" 

The last thing he hears is giggling, before wondering how he could possibly know what the guy's laugh sounds like when he's never heard it before.

Dreams are weird.

* * *

 

"Sir, I apologize for the inconvenience, but there's really nothing I can do."

Of course when Mingyu is ready to make a move, some entitled customer has to waltz in and waste Minghao's precious time. He's been confined to the bread aisle of the supermarket since, waiting for the complaining to end.

"Check, _again."_

"We're out. Here and in the stockroom."

"No, no, you always have more in the back. I know. You think I don't know, but I do."

"The 'back'...is...the stockroom..."

Hiding out won't make Minghao like him more. And if he's trying to make a friend here, don't friends defend each other from jerks?

"He can't help you. You're wasting your time." Mingyu stops a safe distance away, closer to Minghao, hoping the angry man won't try to hit him with his cane.

"Who are you?"  
  
"A customer like yourself. Leave this guy alone will you? It's not his fault what this store does and doesn't carry."  
  
"He works here!"  
  
"He doesn't manage the store."  
  
Minghao, who was startled the second he saw Mingyu, looks curiously at him. Mingyu puffs up his chest, trying to exude confidence, even if he's scared of confronting a disgruntled customer.  
  
"I want the manager. Now."  
  
When Nayoung shows up, and gives a response that doesn't appease the man enough, he leaves in a fit. "I'm never coming back here again!"  
  
"Have a good day, sir." Minghao bids automatically.

Mingyu had stood beside them the whole time, in case another input was needed. He watches Minghao heave up a box, of what appears to be canned fruit. Pretty strong guy. Doesn't seem phased by the weight. He wonders what kind of muscle Minghao could be hiding under the uniform apron and tidy little dress shirt...

"You never told me your name."

"Huh? Oh, uh, it's Kim. Mingyu! Kim Mingyu."

"Mine is Xu. Minghao. Xu Minghao." The cashier says, with a teasing smile. And maybe Mingyu is reaching way too far already, but it sounds flirty.

"Seungcheol told me your name." Mingyu smiles nervously. "And where you work..."

Unbothered, Minghao asks, "Have you eaten yet?"  
  
"No..."  
  
"I'll buy you a meal. For being my hero." He winks.

* * *

 

Right when Minghao's shift is over, Mingyu comes back for that reward. Seriously. Why don't heroes ever take the reward? Free stuff is _great._

Eating until their chopsticks are clean, Minghao even agrees to be walked back home. Just _try_ and tell Mingyu this isn't a date.

"See? It's easier to make friends when you're not all defensive."

"I can always change my mind."

"Consider the statement: retracted."

Snow began to fall at some point. In delicate happy bundles. Coating the pink streaks on Minghao's head. "Aren't you cold?" Minghao had swapped the apron for a sweater after work, but it didn't seem sufficiently suited for extreme winter.

"No." He shakes his head, some snowflakes falling away. "It was much colder where I'm from. So this is nothing."

"...Where are you from?"

"Around. East."

"Yeah, that's not mysterious at all."

"I like your sarcasm."

"I like you."

Easily as that Minghao bends down, grabbing snow to chuck at him. There's barely enough for a snowball. "Say one more cheesy thing. I dare you." He lifts the ball, arm steady and ready to fire.

One more _cheesy_ thing he says? 

"...Nachos."

Cold ice smacks his cheek instantly.

It becomes an all out war of poorly made snowballs. Cutting through an uninhabited playground, ducking behind red twisting slides and climbing walls with rainbow handles.

Eventually, Minghao is laughing so much that all he does is kneel in the snowy woodchips, clinging to a seal on a spring that kids usually sit on to rock back and forth.

Mingyu advances toward the sound, infatuated. "Are you cold now?"

Minghao reaches out to him for help standing up. 

"Shit! Your hands are freezing!" Mingyu hugs Minghao as soon as he's standing. "I have to get you home."

"You're colder than I am."

"No I'm not. C'mon. Have you figured out the subways yet?"

Minghao carelessly swings his arms alongside Mingyu. "Essentially, yes. But I prefer subspace travel when I'm in a rush."

"Uhm. Subspace travel. I'm going to pretend I know what that means."

Joining their icy hands, Minghao leads him to the edge of the playground, into the pack of trees.

"Isn't your house the other way..."

What little moonlight there is cascades in strips through the leaves, shining on a...door?

Minghao turns the knob. "Hold on to my hand."

It's like falling, fast, except it feels weightless. Mingyu is lead through a dark blue room, no real sense of direction. He knows his feet aren't on the ground and the only thing, apart from his date, is another door, which is opened to reveal, "Your apartment?" He lands lightly on the soft carpet of Minghao's living room.

"I was thinking you could warm up here first. My bed is big enough for two."

"Uh..." Mingyu takes off his coat slowly, shifting between Minghao's eyes for any sign of a joke. "Your bed."

"You can sleep with me."

"Wha—"

 " _Literally_ sleep. It's too cold to send you back out there. You won't make it back to your roommate in one piece."

He _could_  remind Minghao of what he said earlier, that the cold isn't so bad, but that would ruin his chances of possibly kissing said date. "Thanks." He says instead, following him to the bedroom.

"Sure thing."

Minghao completely cuddles up to him under the sheets, removing any concerns Mingyu could have had about whether it was okay to touch him.

"Now you don't have to dream about me, when I'm right here."

"Yeah..." Mingyu opens his eyes. "How do you know about that?"

"You haven't put it together yet?" Minghao pats his stomach. "You'll figure it out."

Minghao is really mysterious. But at least he's hot too.

"Sleep already. My shift is early tomorrow."

* * *

 

"Would you be up for another date?"

Minghao closes the apartment door behind them, smiling in the daylight. He's more of a morning person than Mingyu apparently. "Yeah, dude." He sets his skateboard down. "Anything in mind?"

"Tomorrow night my band is playing in that coffee shop downtown. At seven."

"What're you called?"

"Event Seen."

"Ah...that's...um..."

"We're still working on the name!"

Minghao nods, holding in a laugh, adjusting the strap on his messenger bag. There's a cute frog on the front. "I like the name. I'll see you tomorrow then." He waves goodbye, the skateboard gliding over the ice on the sidewalk without a problem. Surely another magic thing. 

He hopes Jeonghan did the laundry, or else he'll have to do all of it today to find clothes for tomorrow.

* * *

 

 When Mingyu lands face first into his shitty mattress, placed in the tiny open space they have, Jeonghan puts down his mandatory breakfast glass of wine and shouts over their kitchen counter, "Mingyu! Sohye called me."

Oh hell. "Yeah?"

"You seriously abandoned the girl in the movie theater? And didn't tell her why?" 

"It happened yes..."

"Why are you so terrible to these poor rebounds? Break up with her!"

"Ugh." Mingyu turns over. "Breaking up is so awkward!I think she was going to say she loved me before I interrupted her and excused myself for the bathroom."

"Well she's going to your concert tomorrow!" At Mingyu's stressed face, his voice softens. "Look. I know it's been hard after..." he pauses, only to think of no alternative, "after  _her_ , but this is just mean. You need to get it together."

"I know. I know."

Jeonghan walks over, dumping Mingyu's cellphone on the bed. "You left this here. I heard it ring a few times."

Mingyu lazily picks it up. Two missed calls, and a message on KakaoTalk. Probably Joshua sending pictures of their finished show poster hanging in the coffeeshop. After Mingyu draws them out, Joshua makes copies.

It's not Joshua.

"Weird."

"What's up?" Jeonghan asks, finishing his glass again.

"This message. Kim Mingyu...bam...prepare to die... _Man._ Spam bots should be illegal _._ " The phone screen goes back to black. Message ignored.

"I'll drink to that."

"You'll drink to almost anything."

"True."

Mingyu bites into his bottom lip. "...So, in other news, my new date is coming to the show tomorrow too..."

"Mingyu!"

* * *

 

"Max Snot is playing before us." Jihoon says thoughtfully, eyeing the stage where Chan and Joshua are helping set up. "Their drummer, Wonho, is _ripped_ and without a doubt he's performing shirtless, which means we here," he points at Mingyu, Seungcheol, and himself, "have to work extra hard to win the crowd over."

"Noted." Mingyu says solemnly. "Do you think I should take my shirt off too?"

"Gross. No one wants to see that, Mingyu."

Seungcheol smiles. "We've been practicing. It'll be okay. Worst case scenario they boo us off the stage like that one time."

"Ah yes." Jihoon deadpans, "That was fun."

"The most fun."

They smile at each other. Mingyu's pretty happy they have Seungcheol as their lead singer. Otherwise they'd never be able to play a show.

"I think your friends are here, man."

Mingyu sees Jeonghan, followed by Wonwoo, walk through the people standing around.

"Hey!" Mingyu grins at the pair. "You brought Wonwoo too!"

"Yeah, well, he said he wouldn't mind seeing your stupid band."

"Except I didn't call it 'stupid.' That was you."

"Was it?"

"Gladyou could make it." Mingyu says happily. Jeonghan may be a dick occasionally, but he houses him, stocks the fridge, and never misses a show. A true brother.

On cue, there's Sohye _and_ his dream boy, Minghao, entering the venue, one after another.

"Alright! Thanks for coming! Gotta go backstage, love you!"

Wonwoo moves to their seats with Jeonghan, "Are you a huge fan of the band or?"

"Mostly here to support the kids. And it's fun to get drunk and yell shit."

"Oh."

"Unless I'm with a cute guy. Then I get drunk, yell shit, and make out."

"Hm."

"...I won't do that with _you_ if that's the concern here, Wonwoo...unless you're interested."

Wonwoo shrugs, a lightness in his tone, "I"m not entirely opposed to it."

"You're a good man, Wonwoo." 

"I don't try."

 

 

The lights dim down, Max Snot arranging themselves into position. Wonho shirtless as predicted.

"Which one of you is the gay one?!!" Jeonghan hollers from the upper level seat.

"There's a statistical probability!!" Wonwoo supplies helpfully.

The lead vocalist, Shownu, shakes his head. "This song is called _Dramarama._ "

 

 

"How's the girlfriend, Mingyu?" Joshua kindly, and naively, asks backstage.

Mingyu chuckles nervously. "Well...I've kinda...been avoiding her...and started dating Minghao?"

There's an expected silence of disappointment in the waiting room.

"How about," Jihoon touches his index fingers together, "we just not talk until it's our turn to play?"

 

 

By the time it's their turn, every member of Max Snot has ripped their shirts off and tossed the pieces into the audience.

"Since we're obviously not going to top that, let's just play whatever we want." Jihoon says.

"You can chose." Seungcheol responds, getting ready to walk onstage. 

"Pinwheel."

"A ballad—"

"Quit the whining. I let him choose. Pinwheel it is."

Some of the show goers have left, but there's still plenty in the venue. Definitely more than last month.

Once they're situated, Jihoon starts the count. "We are Event Seen! One, two, three, four!"

A terrifyingly loud crack, and one hole in the ceiling later, somebody in high heel boots crashes down, kneeling in the crowd of now stunned audience members.

"Kim Mingyu!" He rises, leather jacket flapping by his own flowing power. "My name is BamBam, and I'm here to fight you!" He jumps.

And he starts off with a punch move. Of course. 

Mingyu blocks it quick enough, blasting him back by his own momentum. People run to the sides of the building, the gust of wind making their sneakers skid across the slick floor.

"Who are you?"

BamBam stands tall again, from the position he was knocked into. "What do you mean, _who are you?_ I sent you a—" the opponent gears up for a 1-2-3 kick combo, "—text!"

Mingyu side steps to the left in time, watching the guy tumble once before sticking on his feet. Those heels can't be easy to battle in.

"Dude! You left me on read? I'm Minghao's first evil ex-boyfriend!"

"Kick his ass, Mingyu!" Jeonghan suddenly yells from his seat...in the same row as Minghao.

Minghao seems like he dressed up. He looks nice.

"Fu—" Mingyu gets the air punched out of his lungs while he's distracted; he flies until his back hits the wall on the stage, making an ugly thwack sound.

The crowd murmurs a sympathetic _ouch._

Mingyu rubs his battered head. The microphone stand, which had fallen once the fight started, lies a few feet away. He grabs it. "When did Minghao date you anyway?" He asks, annoyed, into the mic.

"...dle...ool!" Minghao shouts from the balcony.

"What?"

Minghao seems to come to a realization, and reaches into the frog messenger bag, to yank out his own mic. What's the deal with that bag?

"I said, middle school! All we ever did was hold hands!"

"Then you broke my heart!" BamBam accuses, then turns around to Mingyu. "So as part of the league, it's my duty to destroy your new boytoy."

Mingyu cringes. "Don't ever call me that again." He looks at the guy from head to toe, because he knows how much people hate that, "And your eyeshadow clashes horribly with the outfit." 

"Ha. Okay. Coming from the guy who's shirt looks _unwashed."_

"I did the laundry!" Mingyu shouts, lunging and reaching his arms forward to seize the lanky boy's sides. He's thinking of his favorite move.

The knock-out takedown.

With brute force, Mingyu slams the guy down into the ground, some victory trumpet out of nowhere making a rejoiceful sound.

BamBam disappears into thin air.

At first, no one, including Mingyu, knows how to react. That is, until Jeonghan and Wonwoo start cheering. Then everyone follows, clapping with fervor.

Well. They _did_ come for a show.

Minghao pushes through the excited bodies, his familiar cotton candy hair a giveaway among the sea of dark heads. "Let's book it out of here." He points his thumb to the exit.

"Good idea, Lois." Mingyu takes his hand, putting his plan in action.

"Lois Lane? I'm Superman! Which one of us has got the otherworldly magic bag?"

* * *

 

Mutually they agree to take the subway. It lasts longer than subspace travel.

"Um, so, do you know what happened back there or are you just as confused as me?" Mingyu puts his arm around Minghao's shoulders. He thinks they fit together well, he and Minghao.

Honest eyes lock into Mingyu's stare. "They call themselves the League of Evil Exes. Seven guys who couldn't get over a break up and have decided to make my future love life miserable for it."

"That's sucky."

"Uh-huh."

The rumbling of the subway is comfortable to Mingyu, and he leans even closer to Minghao.

"This guy fought me. I'd have to do that seven times? To be with you?"

"Yeah..." Minghao says, eyes travelling to the viewless window.

"I'll do it."

He'd been sure since their first date. That he'd be willing to do whatever to give them a try. No amount of bitter exes is going to snatch his chance at happiness when it's finally fallen onto his lap.

Okay, Minghao hasn't been on his lap _yet_ (although he gets a feeling it's not long before it'll happen), but in metaphorical terms, Minghao is _into_ him.

A broad smile graces his handsome face, and Mingyu feels his own lips stretching the same way. "Can I kiss you?"

Minghao responds by pressing his soft mouth onto his.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> -instead of finishing up shorter stories, I felt the need to start a long one. yup that's me.
> 
> -man, the theme of the comics really stuck with me? because it's about facing your mistakes and either changing or suffering the consequences. kinda cool. 
> 
> -why am I robbing the plot for gyuhao? I think I just miss them.
> 
> -try not to hate me pls


End file.
